Our Collaboration Beer with Dovetail

Friday Feb 15

Hopleaf’s Michael Roper and Joe Huminiak and Kaiser Tiger’s Pat Berger got together with Hagen Dost at Dovetail recently to sample some coolship beers that have been aging in wood casks at Dovetail. These beers are essentially American lambic beers that ferment with wild yeasts unique to the area surrounding the brewery. Seeing as the brewery sits very close to and between the Metra and the CTA Brown Line tracks, I have to think that the wild yeasts are stirred up a bit every time a train passes, adding a very uniquely Chicago character to the beers fermenting in the large open fermenting vessel, the coolship. From the coolship, the beer is transferred to oak casks to develop flavor and character and to mellow. Since each barrel has its own distinctive environment, the beer goes its own way as it ages. Our task was to create a blend from the barrels we sampled that accentuated certain aromatic and flavors we sought.

We are proud of the result! Until it is gone, Hopleaf and Kaiser Tiger will be pouring our Dovetail Special Collaboration Blend. We are tapping it at 6pm Friday Feb 15. It is funky, complex and mildly tart. Compares with many of the Belgian Gueuze beers we have carried for many years at Hopleaf.

HOPLEAF BAR

5148 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60640
773-334-9851

No reservations—first come, first served!
Hopleaf is an adult venue—everyone must be 21 or over with valid ID to enter. Sorry: children (including infants) will not be admitted.

Hopleaf is open 365 days of the year, at Noon every day, except as noted specifically.